Change
by Thickle
Summary: Can Lucy live with the despair of being ignored by her guild, having her heart crushed by the boy she shared many adventures with? What happens when she discovers that all is not what it seems, truths and lies that will be revealed, corruption shall peek through the cracks. How will she fare being thrust into a new unknown as the life she once knew changes forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Uncertain**

**Thoughts: '**_Yo'_

**Dialogue:** "Yo"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, however I do own this fanfic (;**

* * *

"Faith is why I'm here today and faith is why I made it through"

It had been nearly _two_ whole months since coming back from Edolas, _two_ whole months since this whole thing started, _two_ months was all it took- to change it all...

It wasn't that she didn't dislike Lisanna or anything as such, quite the opposite in fact, she admired her, Lisanna was sweet and a gentle, strong soul, someone deserving of the attention she had been getting lately since returning from 'the so called dead' as everyone seemed to call , Or you could say a misunderstood body switch between two worlds resulting in one persons' death and not the others'? Yeah, sure…But dismissing that complex subject, for Lucy-it didn't mean that it hurt to know people were paying less and less attention to her now a days and some had begun to completely ignore her existence altogether!

And what's worse, some of her closest friends that she has known for the past year or so were also in that category of ignorance, more specifically: Erza, Gray and Natsu. And what could Lucy do about this? Absolutely nothing. She couldn't, it wasn't fair of her to ruin their fun even though they were hurting her feelings and leaving her neglected, she just couldn't bear to be selfish and demand attention back to herself.

If it were Lucy who was in Lisanna's shoes she didn't doubt that she would also be receiving this much attention. But that did nothing to qualm her loneliness she had been experiencing lately.

Glancing over her shoulder, Lucy couldn't help but feel a tad bit form of annoyance towards the girl with bleached hair and sparkling big, blue; baby eyes as she twirled around and danced on top of a table with her older brother, laughing gaily at something he said.

'_Stop it Lucy, damn it why do you have to be so pathetic for? Get a grip! There is no reason for you to feel annoyed with Lisanna; she's just having fun with Elfman and the guild!'_

But she couldn't help herself, no matter how many times she berated herself- just the thought of everyone having fun, dancing around and laughing without a care in the world while she brooded sullenly at the bar was enough to cause such emotions as annoyance, sadness and even anger to roll into her mind. She didn't like it, not one bit. Better yet, she absolutely despised it and had begun to get pissed off at herself for such considerations to even take place.

Seeing Mira pass by she tried getting her attention by calling out, "Hey Mira!" No acknowledgement whatsoever. It was to be expected, At least-Mira barely batted an eye towards Lucy these past few weeks, slowly and gradually dimming down her greetings from "Good Morning Lucy!" to a simple "Hi" here and there.

It was incredibly uncharacteristic for the she-demon to be acting as she was, for she was known to be the kind, caring mother- like figure to ALL of the guild members, arrogant, sassy and shy alike. So for reasons Lucy couldn't fathom, it was indeed out of normality for Mira to act like a- well she didn't want to call her out on it or anything. But in simple words, Mira was acting like a bitch.

With a dejected 'humph' she slouched back into her stool, shooting her gaze back towards Mira's little sister.

'_Perhaps everyone would soon start to forget her and move on from all the excitement, and then everything could go back to the way it used to be...'_

**Ridiculous**

She was Lucy Heartphilia! How dare she even allow such a prospect to plague her mind, furthermore it was hardly fair on the girl, it wasn't her fault that she was receiving such attention and Lucy would be damned to see someone she considered her own _nakama_ -feel like an outcast because of her own self-regarding thoughts.

Mentally slapping herself, she finished her strawberry milkshake and slammed it on the bench with a thud, then abruptly turned in her seat, got up and drifted her eyes towards the area currently being occupied by her fellow guild members, who were huddled up in a huge group having fun and cheering at _something_.

It never ceased to amaze her how loud and utterly out of control her guild could be, but that was Fairy Tail for ya', all the brawls and parties which was packed with a cluster of mixed personalities and hyperactive fools running around was what made up Fairy Tail, though that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was always overlooked because of the fierce protective trait every member seemed to carry with them- which truly; was the core of Fairy Tail, they were like family.

Looking around she noticed that Lisanna had jumped down from the table she had been on moments ago and that Team Natsu were nowhere in sight, _'Maybe they are with everyone else?_' Well it wouldn't hurt to look and besides she was curious to see what all the fuss was about concerning the ever large growing group of her guild members, with renewed resolve she started towards her comrades- for she had absolutely no intention of sitting back down and sulking pitifully, she might as well bury herself a hole in the ground and sleep it in if she were to do so.

'_No way _'she thought to herself as she continued towards the bunch_, 'I'm going to suck it up and cheer with the rest of the guild; I'm going to be happy for them...'_ She found herself smiling at the thought as she pushed her way through the crowd until she found herself planted near the front line of the highly ecstatic group.

However that smile that was plastered on her face a few seconds ago completely vanished as quickly as it came and her resolve crumbled to the ground when she had finally caught sight of what all the commotion was about, she stood frozen to the ground as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes. Tears beginning to sting from the corners of her senses-yet she couldn't tear her gaze away from the centre of the semi-circle she regretfully found herself in, despite all the desire to turn away from it.

'_Oh god, why?'…_

It was when Elfman began roaring with appraises and shouts of "Natsu is a man!" Lucy finally snapped out of her temporary trance-like state, not wanting to witness anymore she turned sharply on her heels and forced herself out, receiving a few rough hits from various elbows and jabs to her ribs because of her hurry.

Well, she was definitely going to have a few bruises here and there but it seemed that no one paid mind to her, because everyone's attention was on the Fire mage and Shape shifter lip locking in a passionate embrace, whilst being cheered on from all of their friends. Not one of her guild members saw the utter look of defeat on the blonde swiftly making her way to the entrance of Fairy Tail and walking out the guild doors.

'_Why… Natsu?'_

She thought to herself as a single tear finally slipped from her welling eyes.

* * *

With a sigh, Master Makarov watched the scene unfold from his seat upon the railing on the second floor- it occurred to him that none of the occupants of Fairy Tail had cared to notice the gloomy look on the blonde celestial mage when she caught sight of the couple happily kissing.

This could be a problem, Makarov suspected Lucy would harbour feelings for the pink-haired Dragon slayer since they had become partners and went on various adventures together, and yet-this new _revelation _caught even _him_ off guard_._

Now you see, Makarov wasn't dense or stupid, he knew Natsu and Lisanna shared a childhood history together but he hadn't expected those innocent childhood feelings to re-surface after what? Two years, then turn in _this_.Nope, he was absolutely bewildered by it.

Oh well, love was strange, was it not? And young love at that. Though…

That didn't change the fact that the pink-haired buffoon and the rest of the guild were involuntarily hurting one of his children and he didn't like the look of it.

This could turn out bad.

Having seen enough for the time being, Makarov jumped off the railing he was perched on and began heading back to his office, thinking hard along the way.

'_Please be strong Lucy, be strong'…_

* * *

When Lucy arrived back at her apartment she looked like a total mess, her eyes were downcast; red and puffy from all the sobbing she couldn't seemed to stop in her rush, the few people that were passing by on the sidewalks stopping to stare at her sad form before continuing on their merry way, one little girl even tried to coax her mother to do something to stop her continuous crying, to which the mother simply said "It's none of our business" then tugged her child's hand, leading her away down the street; her usually contained hair was also ruffled by the wind which had picked up as she hurriedly walked through the streets of Magnolia to the direction of her home, trying desperately to stop the images of Natsu kissing Lisanna from relaying in her head.

Nevertheless, no matter how much she tried to do so, she could do nothing to slow down the cruel onslaught of pictures from making her miserable, the images came back more vivid than before, giving her an unwanted headache.

Irritated, she had quickened her pace to a minor jog until she arrived at her apartment, to which she released a relieved sigh then began to the door, As soon as she was inside, closing the door shut and clicking on the lock she paced around the her bedroom and gathered up the necessities for a nice warm shower, she needed it, for it would soothe her aching body and a nice nap afterwards would do her good for her tired, sore mind.

Though nothing could be done about her emotions, she guessed that could wait until tomorrow. She had enough for one fucking day,_ no actually_, for the past two months.

Growling slightly, Lucy opened her dressers' bottom drawer, grabbed her fluffy plain white towel, shut the open drawer with a little force more than necessary then began towards her bathroom. Once inside, she opted for a change of mind and went for a bath instead of a shower and begun to immediately turn on the faucet and plug in the blocker, allowing the tub to gradually fill with the welcoming, hot water her body yearned for.

When the tub filled to the brim she slipped in, glad and content for the relaxing sensation the water had on her tired muscles. And though she managed to get a few minutes of peace, the images returned with full force back to the forefront of her mind- again.

'_Damn it.' _

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**The next morning...**

Lucy awoke from the brilliant, yet so bright warmth of the sun blazing across her pale face from the open window near the left side of her plush bed, her long locks splayed about her equally luxurious pillow, who knew the wonders of sleeping after having such a rough day!?

Sitting up and stretching out the kinks she momentarily forgot all about the distress caused from yesterday's _events_, as she got up from her bed to prepare for the new day.

Now last night certainly wasn't easy for her, and it was only when she finally tired out from all the tears her eyes seemed to release that she managed to fall asleep. Which was a miracle, dare she say. However, the time between laying in bed and falling asleep allowed her mind to wonder off and think.

And think she did, though it wasn't entirely pleasant and her emotions were in a wrapped up in a tornado, Lucy came to a thoughtful decision that she intended to carry out. Furthermore, she also had time to accept the fact that Natsu and Lisanna were now together and that she had to face the inevitable encounter she would surely have the next day. It was going to be hard, yes, but Lucy was determined.

**Flashback-Last Night (Lucy's POV)**

_Stupid Natsu, Stupid Lisanna, Stupid Guild and most of all Stupid Me, How could they be so dense and just outright dumb? Okay maybe not stupid, but god damn frustrating. And now I'm here, lying in bed like a depressed little girl who had been dumped by her boyfriend, only difference is; I didn't have a boyfriend to break up with. And I'm also crying, I probably look like a mess right now, but I can't particularly give a crap. I feel like shit so I'll look like shit. _She sighed loudly, breathing in slowly then returning back to her thoughts._ Why am I always the one who gets picked on? Why can't it be someone else for once? I know that might seem abit selfish but I don't care; I deserve a fucking break for once. _The tears were flowing steadily down her face…_And now this, the guild has been ignoring me for not one, but two months! No one talks to me anymore; Levy, Gajeel, Lily and Wendy have been gone for the past month and half; training and doing various jobs I presume. But that shouldn't be a problem, why weren't my other friends talking to me? It's like I don't even exist anymore, like a shadow in the room. Just standing there looking like an idiot, Am I not a good enough of a friend to them? Am I not worth any interest, anything at all? _Irritated by her thoughts, she began to angrily chew on her bottom lip, breaking the skin little by little._ Actually, it shouldn't be a problem, because I am Lucy the celestial mage; I don't need them._ That was a **lie** and she knew it, but she could settle for a lie for the time being, _I don't need anyone; _She **convinced** herself. _I can take care of myself, _She **repeated**_. I can watch out for myself, I can talk with my spirits, and I don't __**need**__ them._ A sad smile crossed her face,_ I won't even bother with Team Natsu anymore, and it seems they made their choice. I can and will pick up after myself, I always have…_

**End of Flashback- Last Night (Lucy's POV)**

Lucy had made up her mind last night and she refused to break because her _crush_ was now dating someone else, who obviously wasn't her. It wasn't like he was even her's to begin with, so really she shouldn't be that upset about it.

Still she got a little saddened by that realisation…

And if there was something she could have done to prevent the present hole she had unluckily fallen in, she would pay dearly to have a second chance at it. How did things get this far? Where did it all go wrong?

'_What did I do to deserve this?'_

Shaking her head a little too hard from further questioning her thoughts she went about her morning routine.

It was no good thinking about it anymore; all she had to do was move on and deal with it.

She walked straight ahead to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, which today consisted of tantalising, fat pancakes that she covered in maple syrup-topped alongside a bundled amount of fresh strawberries with a glass of orange juice to the side, She took her time eating and enjoying her meal, usually she wouldn't have the time of day to do so but since all that had been happening lately Lucy was able to accommodate herself with things she normally didn't have time to dulge in.

Which was great, because it mean relaxation and some form of freedom from idiots barging into her room at _uncertain_ times.

Finishing off her breakfast Lucy went about to putting the dishes into the kitchen sink, then busying herself with brushing her teeth and hair afterwards, carefully undoing the odd knots in her hair then quickly giving her apartment a little sweep.

Then- when all was set and done she carefully applied some ointment to her mildly, swollen cracked lips- which stinged a little at first contact but then gradually numbed out.

Lastly, when Lucy decided all was good and she was ready for the day- she made last checks on all the locks on her doors and windows then promptly bolted out of her apartment.

Ready for the new day, ready for anything.

'_Time to face this head on'_

* * *

When she arrived at the guild hall, the first difference she noted was the eerily quietness that had settled upon the large guild hall, _'Strange'_, no matter, Lucy technically _had_ arrived earlier than usual- it'd probably explain the absence of a few _certain_ people and the loud thunder of usual chatter.

Ignoring the chill that was currently riding up her spine, she forced a small smile and walked to the request board.

Since she had been getting ignored lately and Team Natsu was temporarily out of _commission_, Lucy had been taking on solo missions to pay off her rent, though the missions she usually picked out were lacking in jewels, she managed.

It was when looking at the various different job selections, she heard _it_.

Not necessarily an _it_, more like a _someone_

"Lucy!"

That sounded a lot like Mira's voice, but that couldn't be. Mira hadn't paid hardly any attention to the blonde what so ever since her younger sister's return. She probably heard incorrectly,

Yes, that was it.

"Hey Lucy!"

There it was again, only louder this time.

Looking around to see who called her name, she was surprised to see that it was in fact Mira -waving to her from behind the bar, beckoning her over.

So she didn't imagine it.

Surprise littered her face, well this was new, considering the fact that she and Mira hadn't had a decent conversation in a while; suffice to say her interest was piqued.

'_What could this be about?'_ She wondered.

Oh well, she had no time to further dwell on why the hell out of all days- Mira suddenly wanted to talk with her, did she want a favour?

Perhaps, only one way to find out...

Making her way towards the she-devil she couldn't help but feel a little nervous and excited, nervous that she was going over there and risking getting her hopes crushed and excited because Mira might actually want to talk with her.

She opted for the latter, though- a girl can dream right?

Though she doubted herself and somehow an image of Mira lecturing her occurred in her mind.

Maybe she's mad about something she did? Thinking back on it, she couldn't remember doing anything that might have upset the take-over mage, majorly or in the slightest.

_'Oh my god, shut up' _her conscience, oh so easily told her.

This should be easy for her, so why was she getting so worked up?

All she had to do was go over there, act casual and greet her, and then question her as to why she called her over, hey! They might even have a chit-chatting session just like old times. Except that was at a 5% chance of actually happening, given the current situation an all….

_'ARGH!' _

Shaking her head slightly, she began to approach the S class beauty, her stomach currently strewing uneasy flip flops, she picked up her pace.

_'Just say hi, ask what she wants then leave'_

She was just beyond 10 feet away.

_'Should be a piece of cake'_

5 feet away.

Then thoughts of doubt came rushing forth, yet again!

_Maybe she wants a favour, maybe she didn't even call for her, she probably misheard, maybe she might dismiss her once she reaches the bar, and maybe she'll…_

_'SHUT UP!' _

Mentally putting herself on lockdown, she found herself in front of the bar, across a smiling Mira.

This only frightened her and increased her worries.

_'Why me?' _She internally groaned.

She could practically sob right now, but she wouldn't. Not in front of everyone and certainly not for the loss of her dignity in the least.

A few seconds passed by without any greeting from either girl, just standing there; staring at each other. One with a freaky smile on her face and the other nervously shifting. Having had enough of the awkward silence Lucy went ahead to break it,

"So, wha-"

Only to be rudely cut off by the other girl.

"Master has a request for you!" It sounded so cheery and utterly _wrong_, clashing with Lucy's broken expression.

And with that she turned and flashed off towards another customer, leaving a slightly dumbstruck celestial mage; not giving her the decency to reply.

Well so much to having some idle chit chat and reminiscing old times! That dismissal felt like a punch to the gut, said gut was now in full whirlwind and Lucy feared she might hurl.

The tears were also threatening to spill forth and down her face, _'No, not now'_. Mira was just busy, it couldn't be helped that there were other customers who were in need of attending to. It was Mira's job after all, as a bartender.

Yes, that was it.

And didn't she tell herself that she had no need for them anymore, so why did she get all worked up… if it was for nothing in the end?

Taking a moment to compose herself, wiping away any stray traces of the salty water lingering on her cheeks, Lucy went ahead to check up on master. She could deal with the idiocy of falling whim to the hopes of conversation with someone she once considered an older sister, later-for now she pushed herself away from the bar and strode towards the stairs; leading up to the second floor.

When she reached the guild master's office, Lucy seemed a little hesitant when her hands protruded forward and lingered in front of the hard, wooden door. She didn't know why she felt the sudden _uncertainty_ but it seemed to fade as rapidly as it appeared.

Reaching forward a few more inches she was unable to knock as she heard her master's gruff voice-

"Come in" Calling her forth to go through.

Exhaling briefly, she pushed open one of the high, hardened doors and entered into her Master's headquarters. It was quite spacious to say the least, in terms of it being an office-though Lucy hardly paid any mind to it in earlier visits to the area since she had no time to dwell on such things.

Now though, looking around the room. Lucy began to realise her Master was a bit of hoarder- though a very _collective_ hoarder at that.

Slightly positioned in the middle of the room was the main desk, elegant in design but hidden from view of all the papers stacked upon it, there was two medium sized pine plants as well, pictured on either side of the desk but that was nothing compared to the extravagant rows of tiny pots littering the front of the desk- varying from small to large and which seemed to house various different species of plants; next came the tall and wide timber bookshelf situated at the back of the desk, which was the grand beauty of all. For it seemed to hold trophies, delicate books and artefacts strewn leisurely across its panels.

Then the rest of the room was littered with paintings on either side of the walls, with two worn leather couches facing each other from opposite ends. Cabinets of various sizes were positioned near the corners of the room, some overflowing with vast amounts of paperwork.

Lucy then concluded her Master might have a mild case of OCD, seeing how the room was strategically placed so not one item was left on its own.

Everything had a pair.

Lastly; there were the two sturdy guest chairs in front of the desk- it was as one would say-'homey', quite a bit to take in but she was otherwise occupied to pay any attention to such details before.

She was going off to adventures ya know?

Adventures, such a foreign word to her now. It seemed that not too long ago the young busty girl was running around, causing mischief with her group of equally outrageous misfits. So long ago it seemed, yet it had transpired so shortly before.

Yeah right, if you can count 2 months as 'shortly', but that was what it felt like to Lucy and who was she to complain? It was nice thinking back on those little events she shared with Team Natsu.

Events she dearly missed.

Coming out of her distracting thoughts, her gaze fell upon the only other person in the room.

Sitting on his desk which seemed too large for his miniature body was the Master, perched up and crossed legged-he had been waiting expectantly for the young one to enter, nodding at her when she made an appearance, he motioned towards one of the guest chairs in front of him.

Taking a seat across the old man, "You asked for me, Master?" She questioned. Lucy honestly didn't know why the guild Master would have called for her, she doubted it be for a mission or maybe it was to ask a quick question?

She had no idea.

Giving her a slight nod, "Ah yes, my dear child, you may be wondering why I called for you ?" Lucy repaid him with a small twitch of her head, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"Well, you see _Lucy,-_She didn't miss the emphasis on her name, "There is a certain issue that has arisen and I require your assistance.."

'_Huh? He needs my help?'_

"Okay…but I don't know how _I_ could be of any help to you?" She admitted, letting her head fall down shamefully.

She knew she wasn't the strongest mage in the guild, having only her whip **Fleuve d'étoiles **and her Celestial spirits as her only form of attack. She hardly had any combat skills and wasn't the best at battles, though tactics were more of her thing thanks to her fast thinking and intelligence. But when she was put in such situations where she needed to get down and dirty, (Such as jobs or a run in with dark mages) she always tried her hardest to deploy a plan of attack, and it's worked out fine so far; excluding a few situations where she was utterly helpless.

Though her will to never give up gave her strength not physically, but in mind and that had to count for something.

Right?

Master Makarov surprised her by chuckling, "Oh Lucy, you are the perfect person to do this job for me so there is no reason for you to doubt yourself" He added, sending her a warm smile.

Bringing her eyes to look at him, she could tell his smile was genuine and so were his words. This in turn brought a small smile upon her own face. But she couldn't nag the feeling that whatever he needed from her, she wasn't going to like it. It's not that she mistrusted her Master, she was loyal to her guild after all but the old man can be deceptive and sneaky.

You never know what to expect from him.

"Well...Uhm, What is it that you need my help with then, Master?" she asked rather attentively, she couldn't fathom the small amount of joy that was brought forth when he told her that she would be the perfect assistant for whatever job he had in mind.

It made her feel- noticed.

"I wouldn't call it a job actually- More of an assignment, a long term one"

That had the alarm bells rolling, what was he implying when he said 'Long term'? Was this jo-assignment really hard that it would take days to complete it? Weeks? Months….Years? That thought scared her a little- she just couldn't see herself taking on a year or (Years) long job by herself. Well she didn't know that she would be by herself, Lucy was only speculating that.

Since Master Makarov specifically asked for her and no one else.

"An assignment?" she pursued.

"Yes, see- this particular assignment of mine has been handed down from the council and they wish for a qualified mage to complete it"

"Yes?" she spoke none too quickly.

"And well…"

She was getting a little impatient with him; he kept on dragging the answer on- seeming to delay the finality of it and that didn't sit well with Lucy. She liked getting answers quick and fast, no interruptions and the bells were off the charts by now- his ability to piss her off at the wrong times usually resulted in her screaming and oh boy, she did not want to scream at this time, not when she was in a shaky mood already.

Master Makarov could see the patience wearing within her tone, but he was afraid to tell her what he was planning to do- with her help of course. But good things could come out of unexpected surprises, even if they seem to be the worst possible situations to be put in.

One could only hope, this was one of those scenarios- or else his plan to lift up the spirits of the young wizard may back fire and be brought into an even deeper despair than she is currently in and an earful of her yelling. But he had to take the risk; it had been going on too long.

"I …"

"Yes, master?"

Oh the hell with it.

"I want to sign you up for the upcoming S-class trials"

* * *

**Oh, did I leave you hanging? I'm sorry :'( but it is a one shot (; Anyways forgive me if my phrasing and such are... weird and just don't sound right- I wrote this a while back (oh and I suck at writing dialogues *cries*) and though this is a one shot I may or may not continue it and drag it out to be a full on fic (The dream!), depends on my mood and effort to be honest, since I'm pretty lazy. R&amp;R and tell me how I went? Cheers :D**

**Edit: I've decided to continue this story... That's all im going to give you cx **


	2. Chapter 2

**Surprise**

**Huh, i wrote another chapter? And just to make things clear- what i originally wanted to do with this story was make it a twist to the overly used cliché 'Lucy gets ignored blah blah blah because of Lisanna and now she's going to get kicked out of the guild or team Natsu blah blah blabbedy blah'-NO! Because let's face it, logically she wouldn't get ignored no matter what happens or who joins the guild. FT is all about NAKAMA and friendship. Okay go on and read.**

**Thoughts: '**Yo'

**Dialogue:** "Yo"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, however I do own this fanfic (;**

* * *

"Change is inevitable, growth is optional"

"_I want to sign you up for the upcoming S-class trials"_

"…"

For a while, Lucy seemed to be too shocked to say anything- her face blank and void of any emotions, whether it be anger, surprise or even happiness. Nothing was there; time seemed to tick by without a peep from either male or female and quite frankly it was creeping the master out. He didn't think this would happen; he was waiting for some sort of reaction not a damn silent stretch.

He didn't have to wait for very long though, for suddenly Lucy seemed to find her voice again over the shock of the news then-

"WHAT!?" She shouted from the top of her lungs.

Makarov covered his two ears while she stood up and screamed at him.

"Why would you ask me something like THAT?", "Have you lost your mind!? You- I haven't even been here for LONG," I'M STILL A NEW MEMBER HERE!? REMEMBER!?" She continued her screaming rampage even though it was doing a number on her lungs and grasping vast amounts of air from her body.

But still that didn't matter since she was absolutely shocked and _angry_, why the hell he would want her to take part in the S-class trials, there was no way she was even near the qualification for something like that. Firstly she was still somewhat of a newbie to the guild; secondly she hardly had any experience! There were more members in the guild suitable for such a thing and those little mishaps with her team-mates didn't count; she was practically forced into those situations- she didn't want to be there in the first place!

Stopping for breath be damned, if her pervy Guild Master thought this was such a good idea especially since she had been feeling like shit lately, then he ought to thank her for only yelling and not kicking his tiny arse around.

The Master only has much patience, "Enough!" he boomed. His voice sending vibrations through the room, shaking it slightly.

Lucy shut her mouth tight then, slowly trying to inhale all the misspent air all the while-She was afraid of getting on the master's bad side but still she might as well risk it, he was out of his mind for such a suggestion as this. The Master had no right to pull such a wild idea and offer her it-

'_Wait a minute'_

That was it- _it_ was only a request, so she could turn it down if she wished. She didn't have to actually _accept_ such an offer.

He did say 'want' not 'am' or 'will'.

Mildly relieved of that she forced herself to calm down- you never know, she _could_ have misinterpreted the initial intentions behind his words. So pulling back her fears - she waited for his explanation.

Thankful for her calming down the master continued on "There is a reason why I want to do this Lucy, even I know it may seem out of the blue. But I have been thinking about this for some time and if I thought you weren't ready for something like this then I wouldn't have suggested it in the first place, now would I have my child? "

_'Okay that was a bit of a lie because she wasn't ready for something like this.'_

But he couldn't tell her that.

Though he wanted to spill his heart out to Lucy and explain everything and why he was doing what he was doing, he couldn't. If he did it could mean disaster and that was one thing Makarov wished to prevent, any and at all costs. Not after all _they've_ been through, not after all of it. Lucy just had to be patient and wait.

"Now that you have finished with your rant," The master continued, "Would you please sit down and listen patiently for me to explain." Rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index fingers he waited for her to do as he asked.

With a huff, Lucy complied. That didn't mean that she was going to sit there quietly though, landing a glare on Master Makarov and tapping her feet.

"While i do realise what you're trying to say, i am still the guild master here and any words or suggestions uttered by my mouth alone shouldn't be taken lightly or ignored." The master commented as sternly as he could muster."And that is to say,if i ask you of something i would expect for you to be involved."

Treading delicately on this subject was not an option. Two months had been wasted already and he feared he was already too little too late to stop what was happening in his home, with those he cherished. Furthermore he was unaware of the events that were certainly taking place under his nose, for he was suspicious but unable to figure out what made it so that everything seemed to _change_.

So if Lucy deemed to throw away his offer before even considering it,he would then have to simply force her. It would get ugly between Guild master and Guild member but it will have to be done, for his child's safety.

The one who hadn't changed yet.

A look of hurt flashed across Lucy's face before she controlled her expression and put up an indifferent façade, but he had already seen it. "I apologise.." she began to murmur.

"None needed." The Master's slightly hard voice swiftly cut in. The celestial mage wrung her hands together and bowed her head, most likely even more upset at his tone. Makarov had to resist the urge to comfort her, seeing that pathetic look cross on his child's face was crushing his heart and against his better judgement, the wrinkles around his eyes softened as he examined the girl in front of him.

How terrible it must of been for her, for the once-proud mage that so long ago displayed such an honorable amount of courage and ignorance regarding any of or so little ill-will mentioned of her. But now-at the smallest of hints she looked as she might fall to the floor and cry, or _lash_ out.

He was ashamed of himself for not intervening before, for doing nothing.

For this reason, and as a last resort he had come to this decision in order to aid her-she needed to accept this proposal, because it will help her. Just not in the way she expects.

"You need to understand," he started out lowly. She looked at him, brown eyes waiting."That i would never push you into a situation you are not ready for." Stressing out the repeated statement. She clenched her jaw then, the ire from before returning. "Then why ask me of this?" she grit out.

Makarov regarded her, gazing upon the frown fixed on her face and the shadow of rings appearing under her eyes, the heart within his rib cage beating at the worn mage sitting in his office. Is this what the girl succumbs to after a small episode? A small loss of control?

This will not do.

_'So a different approach is in order?' _He wondered to himself. Unraveling his legs, he hopped down from his desk and stepped towards her.

"Did you know that i was unaware of the potential i held in my youth-hood" he diverged from the topic, ignorant of her inquiry, her face contorted in confusion, good."Those around me had always said i bore a great gift of magic," Makarov walked around Lucy, speaking of past memories.

Lucy listened intently.

"Of course i was naive back then,i didn't care for any wise words, though i did accept the praises somewhat arrogantly." he chuckled lowly,coming to a stop face to face with Lucy."My only regret from those days is that i had ignored any of my late master's encouragements to train harder and garner my skills to a higher potential." he trailed off, thoughts whisking away into the past.

He was sharing information of a person who he had left in the past, until it was brought up today. The fool he used to be in his younger days,he couldn't help imagine how much more advanced he would of become in magic if he just _listened_. Not that he wasn't weak,or power hungry-though in the body he now attained the thought of being stronger would of been lovely. The skills he could of learned,could of taught to the next generation.

An opportunity missed.

"Then it was when my master had left abruptly without any explanation other than a simple sentence, was when i realized what everyone was trying to convey, even if it was a tad too late," he went on. Lucy swallowed and shifted on her seat,"What did he say?" she asked quietly.

"That i was the next master of this guild."

* * *

_"I want you to think it over tonight, but know this. If you refuse such an opportunity you may never get it again and if past mistakes taught me otherwise...its always good to take a chance." Makarov had said before dismissing her._

Lucy tread the stairs lightly as she played the recent conversation in her head again, the master's admission was...interesting,for the lack of word. If not a little scary as well and why not? She acknowledged his strength and if that were to be risen it would be amazing. And frightening, she shuddered. For such a small man he sure knows how to beat someone down and let his authority rule.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Lucy peered around the hall seeing Gray and Natsu there,sitting on the familiar bench having quite a loud row with each other along with _Lisanna. _

Happy was noticeably absent.

Mira was doing what Mira does, except Lucy noted- the lack of excitement shining through the she-demon's eyes. Almost as if she wanted to stop... the celestial mage shook her head. What a crazy thought, Mira will always adore being the scary,lovable bartender to everyone in the guild.

But not to her, not anymore.

Ignoring the shot of pain sizzling in her chest, she walked out the doors and into the streets of the magnificent city in which she resided in. Breathing deeply once outside, she glanced up at the sky. Eyeing the clouds as they began to gather and swirl with the oncoming of rain.

A welcome site.

Beginning to trot on the concreted streets she pivoted a corner before mulling over her thoughts. _'So master could of become more powerful if he had acknowledged the words being said to him back then. Was that what master Makarov was trying to point out,that i have the ability to go further and become an S-class mage?Was that why he wanted me to compete in the trials..?'_

If that was so should she take the risk?

"Hey watch out Lucy!"Hey eyes widened and took a flimsy step back, she was that in tone with her thoughts she didn't realise her body was about to drop into the canal. She heaved a sigh of relief and smiled a little calling out a thanks towards the two men in the water."Thanks for that!" she hollered.

"Anytime!" their friendly voices called back. At least those two hadn't become different.

_'__Yet.' _her mind added a little sourly.

Hearing her stomach grumble then she changed her course of direction and went deeper into the city, her arrival near the town square she stopped briefly to consider what kind of grub she wanted to eat- there was a whole variety of stores for Magnolia was largely diverse.

Staring at the restaurants and cafe stores alike Lucy tilted her head at the names displayed on wooden boards,she felt like eating cake,or maybe muffins.A smoothie would do her good as well.

There was a store named 'Pantry cakes and waffles' the title gives away it all.

Then there was 'Divine' Simple and gave nothing away.

Also,'Magical and delicious' and many,many more.

Eh, the other's also had similar names and she finally decided on 'Yummy dummy' (A stupid damn name) but when she step foot through the little store's colorful door she was met with the wonderful smell of delicious baked goods. Which made her mouth instantly water, oh this was definitely good stop to eat.

A waiter appeared before her,"Hello there! Welcome to Yummy dummy where tasty sweets shall make you come back for more!Would you like a table or take-out?"The short woman asked, holding a pierce of parchment in her left hand and sending a very large smile towards her.

"I-uh,table please."Lucy replied, somewhat put off from the woman's over sense of cheeriness. Not that she didn't appreciate a friendly person or two,Mavis knows she herself was lacking a few friends now a days, so attempting to clear her face and look somewhat friendly she followed the brunette through the store, Surveying the amount of people around her. Not long after the waiter situated her to a table near the shop's big she found herself seated on a plush comfortable chair around a violet colored table the woman had brought her to."Your menu ,I'll be back in a moment." The still-smiling woman said as a menu was handed to her.

Lucy accepted it with a nod and looked over the list of goodies. Stricken dumbly for a moment after inspecting it.

_'What the hell is this?' _

The list was over two pages long!

And then the smoothie page!

This was heaven.

Skimming through the enormous list she selected something called a 'Chocolate crunch mess of goodness' and a 'Banana swirl smoothie'.Its nice to try out different foods instead of the usual that she normally had. Folding up the plastic slip full of goodies, she waited patiently for the waitress to gaze shooting around the compartment in inspection, _'Not too crowded,not too loud. Perfect place for a snack or grab.'_ She mused.

Breaking out of her thoughts when her plate of food along with the smoothie she had ordered arrived in front of her,"Thank you." Lucy told the woman standing at her side."No worries! That'll be 100 jewels for today, i'll collect when you finish." Another flash of a smile before she was off to do her job, whilst Lucy tucked into her food.

Sipping at her fruity drink, she grabbed the provided utensils and tested out the waffles before her, finding the brown colored goods to be creamy and excellent at taste. Slowly savoring her meal until finished she searched through her purse for the required amount of jewels. Finding it (And biting her lips a little at the amount left) she placed the 100 jewels upon the centre of the table before getting up and leaving.

Completely full and satisfied and then...

It had started to rain when she began returning home, so to her great displeasure Lucy had to run all the way back with the heavy droplets of water bouncing off the pavements and on her body. Arriving positively soaked to the bone with hair amiss and teeth chattering. Why did she have to wear her skirt today? Bah, she would always wear a skirt regardless if it was raining or not. She then set about to get out of the wet clothes she was in and under a hot shower.

20 minutes later Lucy emerged from the steamy bathroom in a pink fluffy robe, hair wrapped up in a towel and cheeks flushed from the heat. Sighting her desk Lucy sighed before going forward and plopping down in the chair. The day's earlier events coming back, Lucy pulled out a piece of paper from one of the desk's drawers and began writing to her mother.

It was like a natural thing to do now, as long as she remembered since her mother's passing Lucy had begun to write out all her troubled and happy days in letters for her mother. And she couldn't stop that now, not when there was someone out there that was most likely listening to her woes.

_'Mother, it hasn't been that long since I've last written to you,eh? I know i know, you must be terribly sick to death of hearing about it- but i need to tell somebody what is going on. And you are here and i know that even if you were alive today you would of been bothered of my pitiful ongoings,would of helped me through this. Though i must say speaking about this topic over and over again is getting a little old, so i have something else i wanted to share with you... Master called me up today and imagine my surprise when he said to me that he wished to put me into the S-class trials. And knowing me i got angry, not that i wanted to scream at him but these... , its getting so hard to hold it in at times, so hard to not break down completely. And im trying to be strong, to not fall to the ground and cry like i so badly want to-_ Lucy sniffed and blinked frustratingly at the water gathering at the corners of her eyes.

_-and i just can't do that. It would mean i gave up. I can't do that, i won't. So, what do you think? Take a shot at the trials? Risk my humiliation? Or just go for it because there is nothing else to be done? Master would probably force me anyways, i can see the way he looks at me, even if he thinks i haven't noticed. But i have, so should i do it mother? If i cannot make anyone else proud i could do it for the sake of Master. Maybe..._

_Your daughter,Lucy._

Lucy stared at the written parchment for quite some time before getting to her feet and changing slowly into a pair of pajamas. That done she trotted over to her bed and sank into the familiar mattress.

She had some major thinking to do.

* * *

**The next morning.**

Makarov looked up from his stack of sheets that he was working on, studying the celestial mage that stood in front of him.

He inwardly smiled.

"Yes Lucy?"

Her voice was clear and determined,"I've made my decision."

* * *

**Tadaaaa~ I tried working on the dialogue this chapter. Sadly it seems to elude me so i tend to write pretty bad convos. *Cringe* Ehm, im not sure how i went with this chapter... hopefully well. *Hint hint* ...reviews... As a side note, the rating and summary of this fic may change. We'll just have to see how everything plays out.**

**Edit: Okay...Just letting everyone know that there might be a few words missing. I do not know why...but they just scamper off whenever i update or upload. Its very annoying.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Decision**

**A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews,favs and follows for this fic! It makes me really happy, well here's chapter 3, and as you may have noticed-The rating,summary and genre are different. Why? well. I didn't like the previous summary and there are a few..*cough*..future scenes...*cough cough*..blood and stuff..that i plan to put in, hopefully nothing too graphic, but one can never know for sure-thus the changes.**

**Note: **Words may be missing, fan fiction likes to be a bitch.

**Thoughts: _'_**_Yo'_

**Dialogue:** "Yo"

**Italics: **Flashbacks, Dreams etc.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, however I do own this fanfic (;**

* * *

"Don't be afraid to take a big step when one is indicated. You can`t cross a chasm in two small steps."

_-Her voice was clear and determined,"I've made my decision.-_

_Thump thump._

_Where was she?_

_Why is so dark..?_

_'..Help.'._

_'..Is anyone there..?'_

_The blackness of the night closed in, she couldn't see anything, she didn't know where she was._

_Why was she here?_

_Milliseconds between thoughts._

_ The erratic beating of her heart was so loud it brimmed in her ears; the warm gush of blood could be felt as it rushed through her veins throughout the length of her body._

_Seconds turned into minutes._

_Thump thump._

_It was so cold, it felt barren._

_She felt deserted._

_Her arms came and wrapped themselves around her middle._

_"Hello?" she whispered into the darkness. There had to be someone, anybody._

_Where was the light?_

_She gulped unsteadily, feeling a chill ride up her spine._

_"Hello?" _

_Please answer me..._

_Wriggling her foot she took a small stride forward._

_Nothing hindered her path._

_Nothing, nothing, nothing..._

_Hands came into play next, her posture widened as she felt around her, but there was only emptiness. Simply the cold floor, which was smooth and almost felt like marble._

_Marble, marble..._

_She spun and twisted, stared up and down, side to side, stretched her neck in search of some sort colour._

_If only to escape from the pitch-black darkness, it crept upon her, splayed around her shivering skin._

_Can't see._

_Light..._

_"Please." She whimpered._

_Hands grabbed at empty air, not a single thing coming into contact with her searching fingers._

_There!_

_A blink of colour._

_Sun._

_Shine._

_Another blink._

_Bright._

_Hope strived her to hunt for the blinks, more…_

_Locate it._

_Find it._

_There it was again!_

_She focused on that spot, blink, blink, and blink._

_It grew and grew._

_Her feet carried her body towards it, like a moth to a candle._

_It expanded and stretched, the closer she got. Vast and vast it spread out. Relief seeped into her pores, the tense muscles began to relax._

_Warmth, brightness._

_It enveloped her like a cocoon, spread like wildfire and heated the atmosphere._

_The room finally came to life, unveiled from the midnight ink in which it was previously drowned in. It was a small room, no furniture other than the light attached to the ceiling. She noticed there was no door, no entrance or exit. Just four walls and a single source of brightness. She felt along the walls, noticing they were much icier than the floor, rougher compared to the smoothness underneath her feet._

_Flicker._

_Her head snapped upwards, watching as she sole reason why she felt safe started to dim._

_"No!" her voiced bounced off the walls._

_'Don't go.'_

_She looked upon the room, peering into one corner where the light's rays rebounded. Shadows that became enlarged and frightening._

_And then, when her eyes zeroed into a spot within the dark mist._

_She saw _it_._

_This ugly _thing_, it stared at her with crimson dripping eyes._

_Hunger, she realised._

_It reached out, the obsidian colour returned to the area as she watched on helplessly._

_First it started from the corners, and then it eventually roamed across the room._

_She retreated under the light._

_Multiple stringy tentacle-like arms neared her._

_"Nononono." _

_She tried to step back, but there was no way out. The halo in which she stood was keeping her protected._

_Then the light flickered some more._

_It began to flash._

_Blink, blink, and blink._

_She glanced back up at it.._

_"Don't come near me."_

_It's sharp monstrous claws extended out within the mist, the leathery-like skin in between stretching,cracking,splitting._

_Bleeding._

_Scream, scream, SCREAM._

_And her mouth opened and she yelled and yelled._

_However, no sound escaped, an empty wail flew past her open lips._

_Why, why, why?!_

_She tried desperately, but the voice box buried within her throat disobeyed._

_Clawing at her slender neck, she questioned herself._

_'Why won't I scream?'_

_The _thing_ echoed the question…_

_**"Why won't you scream?"**_

**~O.O~**

Lucy woke up from her sleep, panting heavily and drenched in a cold sweat. Blinking around she saw it was still night out, the moon shining brightly outside her window.

It was the same re-occurring dream she'd been having for months now. Running a sweaty palm over her face and through the tangle of hair, the celestial mage breathed deeply and got up from bed. Freeing herself from the rumpled sheets she groggily grabbed a towel then began to strip off her layers.

Clothes abandoned as a mess on the floor she headed towards her bathroom. Flicking on the light once she entered the small compartment Lucy went straight to the shower's stall, not wasting any time on turning the tap on. Adjusting it so the water felt just right, she stepped under the heavy stream.

After a half-hearted attempt to wash herself with the lavender smelling soap she forwent any more cleaning and slid down to the tiled floor. Her bum becoming slightly chilly at first touch, but then as the water dipped and trailed down her back, the cold became a problem no more.

Drawing up her legs the blonde-haired mage lowered her head upon her knees. Hugging herself while the hot droplets sprayed upon her head and spine. At least this way some ease was brought upon the telling signs of the headache she now bore.

It was ever the same, the dream-no nightmare- would commence, her body would be soaked in grimy sweat and an unwelcome annoyance would bloom in her head, then when she would awake Lucy would tow her half asleep mind and body towards the shower, to wash it all away.

"Fuck." She softly swore, gathering herself up 15 minutes later as the waters heat began to dissipate. After she lifted herself up, Lucy fumbled with her pruned fingers to close the now Luke-warm water. That done, she stepped outside of the cubicle, snatching the towel off the rack and tightly wrapping it around her torso.

Treading slowly towards the sink which accompanied her little bathroom, she wiped her still wet hand across the steam, gathered mirror. Once the reflection became clearer, cheerless eyes and a tired face stared back at her. Grimacing and no longer being able to stand the image Lucy made her way out of the bathroom and collapsed onto her couch.

She could never go back to sleep in her bed when these nightmares woke her up, so in order to do so she lounged upon her couch and tucked herself in until she could fall into a blissful slumber. As peaceful it could be when a raging headache was behind her eyes, but it was the only method that worked.

Sitting up and combing her wet locks as best as she could manage without a hairbrush (Couldn't be concerned getting up and retrieving it) she heaved the spare dotted comforter that was placed in a neat pile at the end of the couch and settled into the little nook in which she lay.

Exhaling a sigh through her nose, brief memories from early morning flew past her mind, nearly blocking Lucy from the sleep which she craved. But not tonight, she could worry about any doubts tomorrow. Tonight, she sleeps.

**~O.O~**

She was running out of time! (Or at least she assumed she was, since that _womanizer_ didn't give any set details) Puffing and panting Lucy began sprinting as fast as possible, paying no attention to the ache in her body's joints as her speed began to pick up. The evening's sun bathed the city in a glorious golden glow; Lucy would have stopped to admire the pretty sight if she wasn't busy at that moment.

Jumping over a stack of crates she accelerated rapidly as Lucy dodged the fellow citizens in her way. Pony tail flapping in the wind, turning around a corner "Watch out!" she warned as she drew very near to an unaware man carrying a sack of potatoes, he didn't hear her. Being too close and unable to stop her feet Lucy went crashing into the random. "Ahhh!" screaming in fright as he flapped his arms trying to keep a hold of his products.

The potatoes rolled away as they landed hard on the floor and Lucy slumped atop of him, the bald man underneath her groaned loudly and complained about the weight sitting on his chest. "Im in a rush!" scrambling off his body she resumed running, "Sorry about the potatoes!" her voice called back to the man on the pavement.

Nearly tripping again in the next two minutes Lucy growled as she passed the small bundle of children who decided it was a terrific day to become a living roadblock, they squealed and laughed stupidly as her silhouette became a blur.

Sighting the tall building at last Lucy dragged herself up the last few steps and promptly leaned on one of the two column's weight for support. Hands situated on both her thighs, and back curved forward, Lucy waited to catch her breath. Hearing a 'pop' and a flourish of colours, her Lion spirit emerged.

"How'd I do?" Lucy questioned once she righted herself and heard the little cracks sound around her spine, legs and knees. Her lower body felt sore and numbness had begun to set into her legs, pins and needles tickling under her feet in an uncomfortable way.

Admiring the bead of sweat that travelled down the valley of her generous cleavage, Loke unhappily broke contact with the magnificent view and answered her truthfully, "Not the best, I must say." A disapproving expression growing on his face.

Folding her arms underneath her breasts, (Which jutted them out, Loke returned his ogling) Lucy secured a defensive pose and stuck her nose in the air. "How not? I did a lap around the whole city!" And she did not just do deliberate laps around the place, where was her praise? "My eyes are up here!" she clapped her hands in front of her, pointing at her face.

Once again being denied the observation of her curves and feminine assets, "You were too slow." He answered bluntly. Sliding his shades further up his nose, Loke was not put off by the least at the glare he was receiving, his key holder could get so easily aggravated at times, and it was extremely fun to watch.

Or it used to be.

"Oh and how long did I take?" her breathy voice asked. Lucy had run as fast as she could manage when given the task, how the magical hell was she slow? That was marathon, and she'd completed it! "Three and a half hours." The celestial spirit responded.

"And that was slow?" she grumbled.

"Yes, actually." Casting him a stare, she immediately wanted to wipe the large smile that he held off his face. The sun was about to set soon and all Lucy wanted to do at the moment was go home and doze the day off. But it looked like the past chances of being able to snooze freely may be a luxury (As it could get when there were no nightmares).

Since she had made her choice.

"You're such an arse." She stated.

"Hey, im only going by the rules. No need to get snippy with me." He held up his hands in front of him and waved one finger from side to side in mock discipline. Loke had to prolong the Lucy kick he would potentially receive or the thrashing she would most likely make. One of the two, best be ready for anything these days.

"Rules? And you thought it best not to mention them to me BEFORE I went ahead and did what you told me to do?" Her celestial spirit was being ridiculously hard to talk sensibly with. What a damn field day he must be having.

"What can I say? It escaped my mind." He half laughed, half coughed into a closed fist.

"Loke..." she warned in a low tone.

The word 'Danger' sparkled in big bright letters before his eyes so he rapidly spewed out his next words, "Princess, need not worry too much. Since this was only a practice session!" he chuckled nervously, fingering the tie around his neck.

"Wha-"she began only to be talked over by the male.

"I should have also mentioned that earlier." He grinned cheekily; still a little unsure of the atmosphere but unable to find the look on her face anything less than comical.

"But-"

Entertained by the baffled look on her face he continued lightly, "The real lessons start tomorrow, sadly you didn't succeed in the test run." Okay, he may be pushing his luck by now. But this is the second time a bout of fire she's exhibited in months.(He along with the other Celestial spirits were very in tune with what Lucy experienced and went through. Therefore they were attentive to yesterday's meeting with the Guild Master) _'Those fucking bastards._' he thought with disdain against the Fairy Tail members.

What ever the hell was up with them, he didn't know. But to treat his master,his key holder, his _friend_ as they did and leave her in an isolated jumble, Loke will never forgive them. He'd contemplated many nights -when he was aware of what was transpiring- theories why they would do such a thing. He'd come up with no plausible explanation though.

Couldn't they grasp the notion that she was hurting?

'_Let me talk!' _Lucy screamed inside. His interruptions were getting on her nerves.

"I-"

"Yes,yes i know. Ought to have let you know about that too."

"Intolerable overgrown cat!" she huffed out annoyed, her feathers well and truly ruffled. So he'd tricked her essentially into doing a warm-up! Her fingers wished her whip was here so Lucy could wrap it around his lean body and hang the spirit upside down while spurting him with buckets of water.

Loke faked being upset, face scrunching up and hand flying to rest atop where his heart was located, "Oh you wound me princess."

"I'm closing your gate." Lucy deadpanned.

Thrown off guard and panicking Loke briskly spilled his protest, "Wait! Don't send me back yet!" He did have the option to use his own magic and stay in Earth-land but Loke didn't have time for that. Seeing Lucy place her hand on her left hip and wait for him to continue. "You got five seconds, what is it now?" she asked tiredly.

His tone became serious as he spoke, "I know you're hasty to get prepared for the upcoming trials, but you need to take it slow and complete the steps one at a time." He smiled softly, "Starting tomorrow." Loke's grin resembled that of a man accomplishing his duty.

"Are you done?" she narrowed her eyes.

"Never!" Whispering the incantation for gate closure Loke's voice chimed loudly and faded.

"I loooooveee yoooooo-" The 'U' never left his mouth.

And now Lucy had to walk back to her apartment, body finally giving up as she fell onto the ground. "Uggh." Lucy moaned unhappily. These S-class trials were gonna bite her in the ass and then some.

* * *

**Fast update, I know right? I noticed that this fic will probably be very…long. If I were to put in all my planning at the moment, but damn. What a joy it'll be writing all that out. The genre has changed to adventure only, because the story is mainly that, but other varieties will come into play as well. So no harm done. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Preparations**

**A/N: So this is what happened at the end of chapter 2 and supposed to fill up the blanks. (I should have made this chapter 3 instead…. But I cbf going back and fixing it) Anyhow, Basically a flashback chapter. Don't kill me ples.**

**Thoughts: **_'Yo'_

**Dialogue: **"Yo"

**Italics: **Flashbacks, Dreams etc.

**Note:** Words may be missing; Fanfic likes to be a bitch.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, however I do own this fic (;**

* * *

**-.-**

_The next morning._

_Makarov looked up from his stack of sheets that he was working on, studying the celestial mage that stood in front of him._

_He inwardly smiled. _

_"Yes Lucy?"_

_Her voice was clear and determined, "I've made my decision."_

-.-

"_Are you certain?" She nodded. "That you wish to participate in the trials?" Lucy scowled at him, was he not the one bugging her just earlier yesterday to accept this surprising suggestion? "Positive." She confirmed. _

_A small grin appeared on his wrinkled face, the black irises shining as he stared at her. Was that proudness she was seeing, warmth? Possibly, Makarov was a caring man, she knew that. And he held a special place in heart for the ones he considered close. _

"_Splendid!" The master appraised. He was absolutely relieved that she chose to accept, he detested the idea of forcing someone to do as he asks, but if it had to come to that-for Lucy's own good- then he would have done so. Thus, not resorting to that made the pressure weighing on his shoulders a little less heavy._

_Lucy bit the inside of her cheek, "Yeah, splendid..." she said quietly. It's not that she regreted her decision, but the anxiety hadn't fully set in until now. And seeing the master's expecting smile made her stomach feel like butterflies, and now- for the next three weeks she had to worry about training and getting herself up to speed. But worrying about it would do her no good either, since it would be taxing on her health and mental state, which will ultimately affect her during the games. She couldn't afford to have that kind of a disability hindering her in the middle of the trials._

"_So I'm assuming you will fall into a routine?" the master asked as Lucy prepared to leave, she gave a small nod in answer. Then remembering her manners she stopped and stood awkwardly, waiting to be dismissed. _

_Makarov realising this then said, "Well Lucy, I hope you do well. You may go now." And with a turn of his wrist he gave the signal for her to leave._

"_Wait!" he blurted remembering something, Lucy turned and gave him a questionable look. Makarov cleared his throat, __"I want you to think it over tonight, but know this. If you refuse such an opportunity you may never get it again and if past mistakes taught me otherwise...it's always good to take a chance." Makarov waited for it to sink in before dismissing her._

"_That's all I have to say, you may go." _

_And with a quiet "Bye." she was off and walking quickly out of the office. When the door was shut, Makarov released the sigh he was holding. _

_The girl was nervous when she had first entered, it was obvious. Even if her calm, even demeanour seemed full and unbreakable, there were visible cracks in her suit of armour. If one looked closely there were always cracks, no matter how small or large they might be._

_-.-_

_Lucy did not linger after her little meeting with Makarov, opting to head straight home. Plans needed to made, training had become her top priority. No more wallowing in her sorrow about the guild's attitude towards her and no more worrying about it. _

_She had needed a distraction. _

_And this was the perfect opportunity._

_So she took it._

_Once she reached her apartment, she got into gear. First, she swept her home clean (It was her obsessive tendency to do at the moment) and then checked, double checked, triple checked her jewel deposits. She had enough for at least a few more weeks, and it would have to do._

_The next step was summoning her spirits and informing them (Though they most likely already knew, it was a little scary how in tune they were). But who best to be her trainer and personal guide? Well, there was Leo, the obvious choice really. Strongest of her spirits and experienced, except that didn't really account to anything because all of her spirits were experienced. But there was also Virgo and Aquarius, who-she had to admit- had a collective history in fighting, winning and crushing their enemies to dust._

_She groaned. _

"_Well, here goes nothing." She muttered as she brang out Aquarius's key and dipped it into a bowl full of water._

_Once her spirit emerged, she received the narrowing of Aquarius's eyes, her arms firmly crossed. "I know what you're going to ask for girl, so listen up. The answer is no." She said bluntly, ignoring the annoyed look on Lucy's face, "I've got a date and I intend to enjoy it so I have no time to deal with you." Her glowing blue hair swished like waves behind her, "Ask the Lion." She recommended, "And get a boyfriend already!" She added insultingly before disappearing back into the Spirit Realm. _

"_Well that went well."_

_Bright light flashed as she brang out Leo, "Princess, you called?" immaculate as always. Lucy kind of wanted to smack him silly because of the look on his face; it was making her a little uncomfortable. _

"_Yes, I've a favour to ask of you." She said._

_He grinned, "Anything my love."_

"_I need you to train me."_

* * *

**Okay, so I know I like left all of you guys hanging for months and I am dearly sorry for that. To tell you the truth, I had everything planned out for this fic, what the end game was (Well most of it) and all that good stuff. I was just having trouble writing it all down. (And I still do, mind you) *kneels* forgive me for the long wait and for this disappointingly small filler chapter!**


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